1. Field
The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling and, more particularly, to autonomous rovers within a material handling system.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Automated storage and retrieval systems, such as in a warehouse environment, may use autonomous vehicles/rovers to place items in storage and retrieve those items from storage. Where the automated storage and retrieval systems include multiple levels, the autonomous vehicles/rovers are generally brought to each level by driving the vehicle up and down ramps connecting the different levels or by lifting the vehicles/rovers to each level using a fork lift or hoist.
In addition, when operating in the storage and retrieval system the location of the autonomous vehicles/rovers must be known. The location of these vehicles generally is determined using GPS like systems, optical systems and radio frequency systems.
It would be advantageous to be able to easily transport autonomous vehicles/rovers to and from each level of a storage and retrieval system. It would also be advantageous to provide automated registration/deregistration of autonomous vehicles/rovers in/from the automated storage and retrieval system. It would be further advantageous to provide positioning data to autonomous vehicles/rovers lacking any previous positioning data.
Material handling systems such as, for example, automated storage and retrieval systems, cycle storage items to storage locations (e.g. shelves of a storage rack) in a storage array of an automated warehouse or store. Storage racks with dynamically allocated storage locations may expect to be subject to a higher number of load cycles during a life span/term of the automated storage and retrieval system, because of the higher usage rate of each potential storage location, when compared to conventional storage racks (where storage locations are fixed at predetermined locations of the shelves). Conventional storage structures have generally neglected fatigue concerns, and to the limited extent fatigue loads have been incorporated into the design of the conventional storage structure, such loads appear to be related to gross storage loads on the structure, rather than loading from automation (e.g. loads from automated material handlers with various payloads traversing the storage structure or payload transfer actions).
Also, conventional automated storage and retrieval systems may provide for the scanning of items after a seismic or other event that may cause movement of the stored items. Automation may be used to determine the position of the affected storage items so that the items can be moved to their correct positions. Generally, this scanning is done to facilitate recovery of the automated storage and retrieval system once the automated storage and retrieval system is shut down as a result of the seismic or other event.
It would be advantageous to have a storage structure that incorporates fatigue considerations with respect to loading from automation of the automated storage and retrieval system. It would also be advantageous to have a storage structure that facilitates maintaining operation after a seismic or other event that may cause movement of the stored items.
The autonomous vehicles/rovers may include energy storage units that require charging before initial use and during use such as when recharging upon depletion.
It would be advantageous to have a charging system for charging an autonomous vehicle's/rover's energy storage unit. It would also be advantageous to charge an autonomous vehicle's/rover's energy storage unit where the autonomous vehicle/rover may be transferring material or wherever the autonomous vehicle/rover may be located.